Locking mechanism

ABSTRACT

A U-shaped shackle, preferably of hardened steel, is provided with a movable bolt adapted to extend between the legs of the shackle and lock therewith by means of a padlock. The ends of the legs are formed with slot openings in register with one another to receive the bolt. The bolt is formed with a shoulder at one end and an opening near the opposite end. The padlock hasp is passed through the opening at the opposite end of the bolt to lock the bolt across the legs of the shackle. Rigid walls are formed about the slot on the end of one leg of the shackle to partially enclose the end of the bolt which is formed with the opening to protect the padlock against being forced, cut or otherwise tampered with. The lock is useful particularly as an anti-theft device for bicycles.

United States Patent [19-1 Kaplan Apr. 2, 1974 LOCKING MECHANISM [76]Inventor: Stanley D. Kaplan, 54 Lee St.,

Cambridge, Mass. 01432 22 Filed: Apr. 6, 1972 211 App]. No.: 241,683

[52] U.S. Cl. 70/18, 70/54 [51] Int. Cl E05b 73/00, EOSb 67/38 [58]Field of Search 70/14, l5, 18, 54, 55,

70/56, 58, 225, 226, 233, 23 4, 259, 260, 463; 292/DIG. 56, DIG. 57,DIG. 58

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 636,629 11/1899 Butcher70/234 X 3,392,555 7/1968 Beaver 70/56 1,804,678 5/1931 Duffy 70/2601,594,586 8/1926 Anderson 70/463 X Primary Examiner-Robert L. WolfeAttorney, Agent, or Fum -Morse, Altman, Oates &

Bello [57] ABSTRACT A U-shaped shackle, preferably of hardened steel, is

provided with a movable bolt adapted to extend between the legs of theshackle and lock therewith by means of a padlock. The ends of the legsare formed with slot openings in register with one another to receivethe bolt. The bolt is formed with a shoulder at one end and an openingnear the opposite end. The padlock hasp is passed through the opening atthe opposite end of the bolt to lock the bolt across the legs of theshackle. Rigid walls are formed about the slot on the end of one leg ofthe shackle to partially enclose the'end of the bolt which is formedwith the opening to protect the padlock against being forced, cut orotherwise tampered with. The lock is useful particularly as ananti-theft device for bicycles.

6 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures LOCKING MECHANISM BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates generally tolocking devices and more particularly is directed towards a simple, lowcost locking device of extremely rugged construction and particularlysuited for use in cooperation with convention padlocks to prevent thetheft of bicycles or the unauthorized use or theft of other equipment orproperty.

2. Description of the Prior. Art

With the growingpopularity of bicycles, motorbikes, motorcycles and thelike, the incidence of theft of this ter generally indicates a lockingmechanism which, in the preferred embodiment, is comprised of a U-shaped shackle l2 and a bolt 14 lockable across the open end of theshackle by means of a conventional padlock 16. In practice, the hasp andthe bolt are fabricated from a hard, tough material, preferably caseThese dimensions are sufficient to accommodate a biequipment has alsorisen. Bicycles are particularly attractive to thieves for the reasonsthat, as stolen goods, r

they are difficult to trace and recover, they are easily disassembledinto their component parts for resale and generally are easily takeneven by' inexperienced thieves. While many owners lock their bikes whenthe bikes are left unattended, the lock currently available for thispurpose generally offer-little resistance to a thief equipped with abolt'cutter, for example. Most or the padlock.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention features a locking devicecomprising a U-shaped shackle and a bolt, both fabricated preferably ofhardened heavy steel stock, and shackle being formed with aligned slotsadjacent the end of each leg to receive the bolt which may be passedtherethrough. One end of the bolt is formed with a shoulder to serve asa stop, the opposite end being formed with an opening to receive thehasp of a padlock thereby locking the bolt at both ends between the legsof the shackle. One of the shackle legs is formed with walls defining asocket for the padlock whereby, with the padlock in place, the hasp ofthe padlock is substantially inaccessible to a bolt cutter or a similartool.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a view in perspective of alocking mechanism made according to the invention,

FIG. 2 is a view in perspective of the bolt portion of the lock,

FIG. 3 is a view in perspective of the shackle portion of the lock,

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a conventional padlock used with thelocking mechanism, I

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing-the locking device as used with abicycle, and,

FIG. 6 is a detailed'enlarged sectional view of the lock in place.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to thedrawings, the reference characcycle wheel 18 and a post 20, as suggestedin FIGS.5 and 6. The parts may be plated to prevent rusting and theshackle and thebolt preferably are covered with a layer of resilientmaterial such as rubber, vinyl plastic or the like to prevent the lockparts from scratching finished surfaces of the bike or the like.

The shackle 12 isformed with two parallel legs 22 and 24 generally co-extensive with one another and each formed with a slot opening 26 and28, respectively, to receive the bolt 14 inserted therethrough. Each oftheslots 26 and 28 has a width slightly greater than the bolt and theslot 26 is also formed with a cutaway portion 30 to accommodate a boss32 on the bolt 14, the function of which will be described below. 7 Atthe end of the leg 24 and on. the outer face thereof is formed a boxedenclosure 34. The enclosure 34 in the illustrated embodiment is formedby short sections of channel pieces 36 and 38 welded to the outer faceof the end of the leg 24 in slightly spaced opposing rela- I tion withone channel piece at each end of the slot 28 to form a relatively deepsocket or recess substantially enclosing the padlock 16 when its hasp 40engages the end of the bo1t'14 through an opening 42 formed in the endthereof. The outer ends of the pieces 36 and 38 may be partially boxedto further restrict access. The

bolt 14, as best shown in FIG. 2, is also formed with a pair of shoulderstops 44 at the opposite end thereof which cooperates with the leg 22tofprevent the bolt from passing entirelythrough the slot 26.Alternatively, the end of the bolt may be bent at a right angle to forma stop. The length of the bolt 14 is such that the end with the opening42 extends a short distance through the slot 28 so that the opening 42just clears the other side of the leg 24'when the bolt is in place, asbest shown in FIG. 6. The hasp of the padlock passes through the openingto lock the bolt in position against retraction.

The boss 32, which is formed or welded on the bolt 14, prevents the boltfrom being pushed through the slot 28 by forcing together the legs ofthe shackle in an attempt to move the padlock clear of the enclosure 34.Thus, even if sufficient force could be brought to bear to close theshackle legs, the boss 32 would prevent displacement of the bolt. Thecutaway portion 30 of the slot 26 allows the boss 32 to pass through theslot when the bolt is being withdrawn from the shackle after the padlockis unlocked and removed. The configuration also prevents the bolt frombeing inserted backwards. Other measures may be taken to preventdisplacement of the bolt by compression of the legs. For example, anapertured plate may be welded along the long edge of the slot 28 andparallel to the bolt so that the padlock may be secured both through theend of the bolt and through the apertured plate. Alternatively, a stopin the form of a wall may be welded across the outer end of the boxedenclosure to butt against the extreme end of the bolt when in position.

The channel pieces 36 and 38 typically extend out from the leg 24approximately two inches and form a clearance 46 of peraps inch betweenopposing edges of the channel pieces to permit the shackle 40 of thepadlock to be inserted through the opening 42. The clearance issufficiently restricted to effectively prevent acess by various toolssuch as bolt cutters or the like. Preferably the opposing outer cornerson one side of the channel pieces are beveled at 48 to permit the bodyof the padlock to be manipulated when engaging and disengaging the haspbut not permitting the lock to be so twisted within the recess as toexpose the hasp to access by a bolt cutter or similar tool. In practice,the space between the opening 42 in the end of the bolt 14 substantiallycorresponds with the length of a standard hasp of a padlock so that,once locked in position, the padlock cannot be twisted or otherwisemanipulated to expose the hasp to a tool.

When used as a bicycle lock, the shackle 12 is passed around the rearwheel of the bike, preferably at a point between the wheel stays, andaround a post 20 with the leg 22 of the shackle passing between thewheel spokes.

The bolt 14 is then passed through the leg slots and the padlocksecured. The lock may be varied in size as well as shape and may be usedfor locking other types of vehicles, for securing machines againstunauthorized use or for a variety of other locking applications.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim and desire to obtainby Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. A locking apparatus for use with a standard pad- 4 lock having a haspcomprising in combination,

a. a shackle having a pair of legs, and

b. a bolt adapted to span said legs,

c. one end of said bolt lockably engaging one of said legs and theopposite end of said bolt being formed with an opening adapted toreceive said hasp,

d. the other of said shackle legs being formed with an integral anddeeply recessed socket having an opening therein to receive saidopposite end of said bolt,

c. said socket dimensioned to snugly accommodate said padlock when saidpadlock is locked onto said bolt whereby said hasp is renderedeffectively inaccessible, and,

f. stop means on said bolt for limiting movement of said bolt throughsaid shackle leg.

2. A locking apparatus according to claiml wherein said shackle and boltare fabricated from hard, rigid metal stock.

3. A locking apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said shackle isU-shaped and said socket includes a pair of slightly spaced and oppositefacing channel sections fixed perpendicularly to said other leg.

4. A locking apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said one shackle legis formed with an opening to receive said bolt and said one end of saidbolt is formed with a shoulder stop for limiting movement of said bolttherethrough.

5. A locking apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said means includesa boss on said bolt adapted to bear against said other leg. 1

6. A locking apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said shackle andbolt are covered by a resilient stratum.

1. A locking apparatus for use with a standard padlock having a haspcomprising in combination, a. a shackle having a pair of legs, and b. abolt adapted to span said legs, c. one end of said bolt lockablyengaging one of said legs and the opposite end of said bolt being formedwith an opening adapted to receive said hasp, d. the other of saidshackle legs being formed with an integral and deeply recessed sockethaving an opening therein to receive said opposite end of said bolt, e.said socket dimensioned to snugly accommodate said padlock when saidpadlock is locked onto said bolt whereby said hasp is renderedeffectively inaccessible, and, f. stop means on said bolt for limitingmovement of said bolt through said shackle leg.
 2. A locking apparatusaccording to claim 1 wherein said shackle and bolt are fabricated fromhard, rigid metal stock.
 3. A locking apparatus according to claim 1wherein said shackle is U-shaped and said socket includes a pair ofslightly spaced and opposite facing channel sections fixedperpendicularly to said other leg.
 4. A locking apparatus according toclaim 3 wherein said one shackle leg is formed with an opening toreceive said bolt and said one end of said bolt is formed with ashoulder stop for limiting movement of said bolt therethrough.
 5. Alocking apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said means includes aboss on said bolt adapted to bear against said other leg.
 6. A lockingapparatus according to claim 1 wherein said shackle and bolt are coveredby a resilient stratum.